So, Marc of Downhere says on the bus yesterday, “All you Americans come here and watch this.”
First, I explained to misguided Mark that I’m not an American. I’m a Texan living in America, only because Texas happens to be part of America (for the time being).
And then I watched it.
It was revelatory.
Perspective changing.
I have a new appreciation for my brethren to the north. A kind of pride by association even.
Peace has broken out between our people groups. I want to buy North America a Coke (except Quebec).
So, all you Americans come here and watch this. Texans too.
[youtube width=”532″ height=”434″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRI-A3vakVg[/youtube]
Facebookers and some RSS subscribers will need to go here to see the video in this post.
Seriously, we’ve had more than one conversation on this Canada tour about what makes Canada different from America: According to the Canadians, not very much. Canada has a unique history, sure, but today it’s pretty much a quieter more polite America with prettier money, three downs instead of four, no nukes and a Maple leaf in the middle of the golden arches. Even Tim Horton’s is owned by Americans now! Come on, Canada, you don’t want to be America’s thinner twin do you?
So, Canadians, am I right? Are you guys losing a distinct culture of your own or am I (and the folks I’m sharing a bus with) missing something?
And is that good or bad or who cares?
Kelly @ Love Well says:
Being a Minnesotan, I sometimes feel like I’m part Canadian. We’re similar in so many ways. (Hockey anyone?)
The times I’ve crossed the border, I’ve found Canada to be much as you described — cleaner, more polite and more heavily taxed America. (Although if was comparing Texas to Canada, those differences would mount.)
For what it’s worth, I think many cultural distinctives blur in this media-saturated day.
Texas in Africa says:
This reminds me of a song about Texas that contains the line “We’re proud of our pride and we’re proud of that pride, too.”
I saw a documentary last week about Gallup polling on attitudes in the Muslim world (out-nerd that!). One of the interesting things they looked at is whether many global Muslims perceive American culture negatively, or whether it’s something else. So they compared us to Canada. When asked about whether they had an unfavorable impression of Canada, only 3% of Egyptians agreed. The same question about America elicited something in the high 70%’s among Egyptians surveyed. The conclusion Gallup reached is that it’s not American culture that bothers many Muslims; it’s America’s foreign policy. Apparently Canada makes for a pretty good survey control mechanism.
Carly says:
I may get flack for this, but I’m not sure we ever had one distinct culture in the first place. I mean, Canada is as much a “new world” as the US and aside from the aboriginals, everyone came from somewhere else to begin with.
It’s funny you would mention that you’d like to buy us all a Coke, except for Quebec. While I don’t agree with the separatists who want to yank Quebec out of the country, I do admire their commitment in holding onto a distinct culture with everything they’ve got.
In High School we learned that while the US was more of a melting pot, Canada was … (grrr – I’ve forgotten the opposite term (dang Mommy brain) … was the opposite of a melting pot.
I’m not so sure that’s true anymore, especially with what Kelly terms our media-saturated lives.
There is much about my country I’m very proud of (and some things I’m not). Some of those things that make us distinct – the size of the country being one, the dense population to the south, along the US border another – speak more to the nature of our land mass than to the people.
Enough rambling…I hope those grey skies clear up!
Robin says:
We just came back from an extended weekend in Toronto. Loved it! Just like Chicago, but cleaner. =) They even took our American money at every place we went.
Angie in Tejas says:
I laughed out loud at your Texan comment. You and Gov. Rick Perry must be good friends then (succeed!!) hahaaha!
Angie in Tejas says:
I meant “secede” darnit! LOL
Brad says:
http://stuffandthingsblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/canada-americas-hat-tshirt-1.jpg
Happy Geek says:
There is a difference, I’ve lived in both Texas and Canada and the difference is more pronounced there. It’s rather subtle, but shows up a bit more in the Christian context.
I was recently at a Christian conference and after about 2 minutes of talking (accents aside) could tell if the person I was talking to was from the South, Canada or The Northeast. The cultural differences aren’t just limited to going across the border.
Mark Geil says:
So, I arrive in Vancouver for a conference. I get on the shuttle and eventually make it to my hotel. As I’m checking in, I am momentarily distracted by a horde of people on bicycles rounding the corner outside the hotel. Completely Naked.
The hotel guy couldn’t be less suprised but notices my attempt to hide my shock and amusement. “Oh, yah,” he says, “They come around every week or so to protest something about bike riding. Welcome to Canada.”
Dawn~Canada says:
Well, there is a difference between the two countries. however, there’s also a huge difference between the cultures that exist within each province up here. We do call things by a different title than our neighbors to the south and perhaps we are slightly less outspoken than many Americans.
But the bottom line is we’re all people living on the same clump of dirt. I am proud to be Canadian but going overboard with patriotism reeks of “hey my country’s better than yours”-ness. Some of the differences are good, they benefit me and my family but others really suck…we have no Chick-Fil-A, or Target.